Oil spill leaves Thai island with toxic sea water

The romantic holiday island of Koh Samet has been largely cleaned up from the July 27 oil spill, but the recovered pristine white beach can be deceiving.

According to the Thai Pollution Control Department, samples that have been taken from sea water off Ao Phrao beach, the most polluted during the disaster, showed a high concentration of mercury in the water, 29 times higher than safety standards allow. There was also a high level of cadmium.

The Fishery Department said further that lab tests on seafood found metal contamination in samples from fish markets near Koh Samet.

The Tourism Council of Thailand estimated that Samet island is losing around 100 million baht ($3.1 million) in tourism revenue because of the oil spill.

PTT Global Chemical, the company responsible for the oil spill, agreed to pay compensation to 400 fishermen affected by the spill at 30,000 baht ($952) per head.

Apart from the fishermen, 606 hotel and restaurant operators, a health business operator and 110 business people have registered for compensation. The registration will continue till August 31.

The romantic holiday island of Koh Samet has been largely cleaned up from the July 27 oil spill, but the recovered pristine white beach can be deceiving.

According to the Thai Pollution Control Department, samples that have been taken from sea water off Ao Phrao beach, the most polluted during the disaster, showed a high concentration of mercury in the water, 29 times higher than safety standards allow. There was also a high level of cadmium.

The Fishery Department said further that lab tests on seafood found metal contamination in samples from fish markets near Koh Samet.

The Tourism Council of Thailand estimated that Samet island is losing around 100 million baht ($3.1 million) in tourism revenue because of the oil spill.

PTT Global Chemical, the company responsible for the oil spill, agreed to pay compensation to 400 fishermen affected by the spill at 30,000 baht ($952) per head.

Apart from the fishermen, 606 hotel and restaurant operators, a health business operator and 110 business people have registered for compensation. The registration will continue till August 31.